The Unequal Urban: Exploring Health Equity & Public Space Across Two Toronto Neighbourhoods
TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to the self-guided tour “The Unequal Urban: Exploring Health Equity & Public Space Across Two Toronto Neighbourhoods.” I’m so glad you’ve joined us as we walk/roll/move together through public space in the city!
My name is Nadha Hassen and I’m a PhD candidate and Vanier Scholar at the Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change at York University. I completed my undergraduate degree majoring in Architectural Design and my master’s degree in public health, both at the University of Toronto. I am interested in the links between the built environment and public health, specifically from an equity lens.
To give you a sense of my positionality in relation to this work, I’d like to share a little bit about myself - at least the aspects that I feel comfortable and safe publicly sharing at this time. I am a Muslim woman of colour and an immigrant to Canada. I also live with multiple chronic illnesses including chronic pain. So, I simultaneously occupy multiple identities and these identities impact how I move through the world. Although I identify as a person of colour and a racialized person, I am aware of the relative privilege I hold as someone who is neither Indigenous nor Black and who doesn’t experience anti-Black or anti-Indigenous racism.
Colonialism and its far-reaching and ongoing impact on the health and lives of Indigenous people is clear. Toronto is situated on Indigenous land and while we discuss current public space and neighbourhoods, it is necessary to recognize that this settler urban space has a history and enduring injustices that demand attention. This activity takes place in Toronto (from the Haudenosaunee word Tkaronto), on the Traditional Indigenous territory of the Wendat, the Haudenosaunee, the Anishnabek, and the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nations. The territory of Toronto is subject to the Dish With One Spoon treaty and is the home to many Indigenous people from across Turtle Island. As an immigrant and settler, I am immensely grateful to have the opportunity to live and work in this territory, and hope we can share in the commitment to (un)learning and engaging in meaningful reconciliation. There are many different ways to learn about the land we are on and its history, one app and website is https://native-land.ca/
There is so much history and context to our public spaces in Toronto, so I can’t and won’t be able to cover everything. There is a complexity and nuance to the issues we will be exploring. My role is to facilitate this urban exploration and draw your attention to some key aspects of our public space and pose questions for you to reflect on and consider. This project and the insights shared build on the decades of great work that communities and scholars, especially Black and Indigenous communities and scholars have been doing, and the accompanying resource and reference list provides links to the work referenced throughout these audio stops.
One goal is to highlight how our public spaces impact our health (both physical health and mental health), and how equity is important when we’re thinking, talking and working around issues concerning public space, health and safety in public space – both during COVID-19 and beyond the pandemic. We will be exploring a range of built environment and public amenities like parks, active transportation, housing, streets and more- weaving between them and making connections.
Please remember to consider and prioritize your own safety. Although this route is entirely through public space, public spaces are not neutral, and we experience these spaces differently based on how we are perceived. Some considerations are the time of day and visibility. You may want to go with someone within your household and take precautions to minimize risk of COVID-19 exposure.
The total walk/roll time is approximately 25 – 30 mins. The “stops” are marked on the accompanying map to help guide and orient you. And at each of these stops, there’s an accompanying audio track.
The tour is designed to be completed at once to explore concepts like health equity, safety, boundaries and belonging in public space. However, feel free to adapt this route to suit your needs. You may also wish to only complete part 1 or part 2 of the route or complete these parts on two different days.
Part 1 begins near Rosedale Station and Part 2 begins near Sherbourne Station. Bloor-Yonge station is close to the route and is considered accessible (meaning to say it is equipped with elevators, wide fare gates, and access doors.) Several options for seating and stopping are available along the route, so feel free to move at your own pace. The route is primarily flat however, some of the sidewalks and streets crossings may be uneven.
We’d love to hear from you as well. As we proceed through this urban exploration, feel free to share your thoughts and responses to some of the reflection questions that are posed throughout these recordings and that are outlined via the online form.
To get started, head to the first stop indicated on the accompanying map.
PART 1
Stop 1: Ramsden Park
We start in this popular park at the edge of the neighbourhood of Rosedale- Moore Park. Depending on what day it is and when you’re here, this park might be quite busy or relatively quiet.
From this spot, take a moment to get situated and scan your surroundings. What can you see?
Look around at the trees. Are there benches or other places to sit or lie down? Can you see the basketball nets? The tennis courts in the distance? These courts double as a skating rink in the winter. And If you move further into this public green space, there’s a dog park, table tennis tables and a playground.
How do you feel in this space? Do you feel safe?
Research has shown that good green spaces like parks can make us feel less stressed and more relaxed. Green spaces have the potential to positively impact our mental health and well-being.
From a health equity perspective, we want everyone to reap the mental health benefits that public green spaces can provide.
The World Health Organization defines mental health as “a state of well-being in which every individual realizes his or her own potential, can cope with the normal stresses of life, can work productively and fruitfully, and is able to make a contribution to her or his community.”
So, there is a spectrum of mental health and it is more than just the absence of a mental disorder or diagnosis.
During COVID-19, the importance of public spaces as a resource for all to use has been even more important for both our physical and mental health. How do we access outdoor resources like parks, playgrounds, streetscapes and indoor resources like libraries and schools?
What makes public spaces feel safe, welcoming, and health-promoting for everyone? How has this changed with the pandemic and what does that mean for different people across different neighbourhoods in Toronto? Those are some of the big questions we will explore together.
As you make your way to the next spot indicated on the accompanying map, you might want to consider and notice any specifics about what makes this space “good” or “not good”, “safe or unsafe” to you.
Reflection questions to consider:
How do you feel in this public space? List 3 words that describe how you feel in this space.
Why do you think this is how you feel in this space?
Do you feel like you “belong” in this space? Do you feel safe? Why or why not?
When you are ready to move on, head over to the next stop indicated on the map. We’ll be crossing Yonge Street and heading to the park right next to Rosedale Station.
Stop 2: Budd Sugarman Park (on Yonge Street)
This public green space is a little different compared to the park we were just at across the street. When you compare both parks, it highlights that not all public spaces are the same – in size, in amenities, in accessibility, in who uses it. For instance, this green space has benches, a drinking fountain but no athletic facilities, no off-leash dog park, no playground and is significantly smaller.
This public space might also look differently depending on when you visit. Many people experiencing homelessness have been setting up tents in public spaces like parks across the city, and this park has been one of those spaces. Along our route, you will likely encounter other parkettes and public spaces where people have set up tents.
Inadequate social services and an under-resourced shelter system have resulted in multiple outbreaks at Toronto shelter sites since the beginning of the pandemic. When the key preventative measure to COVID-19 is to stay at home and physically distance, this underscores the structural issues for those experiencing homelessness, addiction, and mental health challenges.
Back in April of 2020, more people experiencing homelessness began moving into tents in outdoor public spaces. In June and July, the heatwave in Toronto was an additional challenge to those living outside. As weather gets colder and the pandemic continues, the lack of safe shelter options and a clear strategy to provide safe and affordable housing for all presents another serious challenge for those experiencing homelessness.
Many advocates have noted how the City’s response to those experiencing homelessness has been limited, temporary and insufficient to meet needs - highlighting the struggle for the basic human right to shelter.
In a city with rising housing costs- we have to ask who is prioritized when it comes to issues like immediate, affordable and safe housing?
The pandemic has caused an increase in tactical urbanism, both sanctioned and unsanctioned, both driven by grassroots-initiatives and implemented by public organizations.
Tactical urbanism refers to low-cost, small-scale temporary approaches to reconfigure the urban environment to meet people’s needs, often without governmental involvement. Like repurposing streets for outdoor restaurant space, placing stickers and placards to organize and facilitate physical distancing.
Setting up shelter in public spaces is an example of tactical urbanism which highlights the question of which temporary interventions and which behaviours are deemed ‘acceptable’. And who is prioritized when it comes to making decisions about public spaces.
When it comes to contested public spaces, centring those who are most marginalized is necessary.
If we look at the causes of health from a public health perspective, research tells us that the social determinants of health impact how healthy you are- that is to say, there are many social factors– where you live, your housing, income, employment conditions, access to healthcare and education all contribute to both physical and mental health and quality of life.
If we dig deeper then we start to unpack how interlocking systems of oppression such as colonialism, racism, sexism, ableism, classism, xenophobia, homophobia, and transphobia and so on are the root causes of differential health outcomes between populations.
As you move south down Yonge Street, take a moment to look down Yonge Street at the Toronto streetscape and skyline of this famous street.
Stop 3: Frank Stollery Parkette
Streets are a complex public space and have long been a site of contestation. How we are perceived on streets and as a result how we navigate streets is influenced by those structural factors and their intersections like racism, sexism, transphobia and so on.
Streets are not neutral spaces and their designs and uses reflect the ideas that planners and decision-makers prioritize. The streetscape in this area has also changed rapidly in just the past few years. For example, if you locate the condo on the south west corner right behind the vape store and the condo behind the Canadian Tire gas station on church street, these came up rapidly in just the past couple of years. Many small businesses, in particular along Yonge street, have closed down to make way for condo developments, changing the streetscape and impacting who moves in versus who moves out of the area.
In particular, the current stop is located along Davenport road and the land here has a long history. I’d like to direct your attention to the public plaque outlining the “Ancient Trail” of Davenport Road, a trail created by Aboriginal peoples.
The other 2 plaques further inside the parkette outline the evolution of the road into the current city street.
Feel free to pause the recording here to read through and take a look at the maps on the historical plaques to get a sense of the history behind this particular public space and the land.
We know that racialized people, especially Black and Indigenous people are more likely to face harassment, discrimination and violence in public spaces. Activities like walking, running, driving, birdwatching for Black and Indigenous people come with the threat of racism.
What does it mean to be safe in public space? We cannot separate the issue of racism from public health and health promotion responses within the context of urban space. In 2018, the Canadian Public Health Association released a position statement acknowledging the impact of racism on the health of individuals and populations along with calls to action to all governments and health agencies in Canada. We cannot hope to create an equitable public health approach to our cities without addressing the pervasive racism that exists.
The recent murders of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor and many others in the United States have ignited further protests and the Black Lives Matter movement has highlighted the extent of anti-Black racism in North America. This anti-Black racism exists in Canada as well. In Toronto, Regis Korchinski-Paquet and D’Andre Campbell were two young people who were experiencing mental health concerns and were no longer alive after interactions with the police, who were called in for support. A recent report by the Ontario Human Rights Commission found that a Black person was nearly 20 times more likely to be fatally shot by Toronto Police compared to a White person.
The “business-as-usual” approach perpetuates anti-Black and anti-Indigenous racism and requires rethinking city processes if there truly is to be a commitment to hearing from and engaging with communities.
City streets serve as sites of protest, a way to disrupt everyday traffic and call attention to pressing social issues. Protests in Toronto like those for Black Lives Matter often proceed down Yonge street, and halt at the Yonge- Bloor intersection. Streets serve as public spaces for civil and community action with protests highlighting the voices of those often silenced and marginalized. The current Black Lives Matter protests in cities across North America and in Toronto underscore the struggle for equitable and just city streets. During the pandemic, masked protestors have found ways to use and reconfigure protest spaces to maximize safety from the virus while highlighting the other invisible threat, racism.
To get to our next location, move east and cross Yonge Street over to Church Street. You could cross at the intersection over to the North side or stay on the south side of Church Street
Stop 4 - 24HR City Respite Centre / Asquith Green
COVID-19 is highlighting and worsening the existing structural issues that cause health inequities across our neighbourhoods, like who gets access to quality resources like affordable and quality housing, food, green space and other amenities and infrastructure. Furthermore, these health inequities are divided across racial and income lines.
At this intersection, you’ll see a 24hr City Respite Center which provides services like food and service referrals to people.
Across the street, on the Northeast corner, there is currently a billboard advertising forest hill suites, starting from $1.6million dollars and ranging to over $6m.
At first glance, the billboard may feel out of place. But I suppose the location of the billboard makes sense because if you go north on Park Road, you will come across multimillion-dollar single-family homes. Rosedale Moore-Park is an affluent neighbourhood in Toronto with a predominantly white population and an average home price of approximately $1.3 million in 2011. The median total income for private households in the Rosedale-Moore Park neighbourhood was over $106,740 according to available data.
The set-up of this respite center has created some tension and complaints from certain residents living in the surrounding area because of the people who use the service. For example, certain residents have complained about quote “vandalism, loitering, discarded needles, alcohol consumption” amongst other complaints. Unfortunately, this response seems to stem from discrimination and stigma against people who use substances, who are experiencing homelessness and addiction and live with mental health challenges. This tension also speaks to what behaviours are deemed “acceptable” in public. The small parkette called Asquith Green next to the center has been used to set-up tents on and off since the pandemic.
Jay Pitter, an urbanist in Toronto, talks and writes about equity-based placemaking and how this process often needs to address competing interests between different user groups, acknowledging and addressing the always present power imbalances in this process. She talks about the need to move towards co-creating public spaces with people but we also need people to think about complex social and political histories that impact how people move through space. I’d encourage you to read her open letter titled “a call to courage: an open letter to Canadian Urbanists” written in the summer of 2020 and which is included in the resource list. This also comes back to the important point of centering those who are most marginalized and prioritizing those voices.
In contrast to this neighbourhood, the adjacent neighbourhood of North St. James Town - which is where Part 2 of this urban exploration will take us - is one of Toronto’s most racially diverse neighbourhoods (over 65% identify as visible minorities and over 50% identify as immigrants), with an average home price of about $489,366 (compared to Rosedale-Moore Park’s $1.3 million home price).
This tour takes us along the boundaries of these two adjacent neighbourhoods within the downtown Toronto area, allowing us to explore systemic issues related to equity. It’s important to consider the spatial and social contexts of what impacts health.
It is notable that these two neighbourhoods are within just a 30 min walk of each other.
On October 25, 2020, the number of COVID-19 cases in Rosedale-Moore Park was 68 compared to 286 in North St. James Town.
These numbers are not an indicator of the risk of acquiring COVID-19 as this does not log where COVID-19 was transmitted only the residential postal code of the individual who tested positive. To avoid stigmatizing or stereotyping a neighbourhood or groups of people, it is important to highlight and understand underlying structural issues and social factors that cause health inequities.
So imagine for a moment, a family of 5 that is living in a 2-bedroom apartment in a high-rise in downtown Toronto with no outdoor space versus a family that has a bigger house and a large private garden. How does that impact mental health and well-being during this time?
And if we look at that same household where one or two family members are essential front-line workers, more likely to be exposed to the virus and more likely to bring that back home and spread it.
Spatial mapping of COVID-19 and health issues show us how certain neighbourhoods have been hit and the differences between neighbourhoods. Think about outside the downtown core where COVID has hit harder (like northwest Toronto) and then think about outside Toronto, in the Greater Toronto Area, to places like Brampton. This disproportionate impact often comes back to structural factors, lack of resources and underfunding.
How do we demand that policies and processes are implemented from an equity-perspective? How do communities respond? We will explore this further when we visit St. James Town further along in Part 2.
As you move towards our next stop, continue along the north side of Bloor Street East.
Stop 5: Bloor Street East Bike Lane
At this stop, you should be able to see the recent temporary bike lane infrastructure along Bloor Street East.
In response to COVID-19, Toronto launched the ActiveTO initiative that reconfigures public streets to prioritize active transportation: including expanding the cycling network and select street closures.
We could think of this as a form of tactical urbanism which is government-sanctioned, based on its rapid implementation. This cycling initiative was accelerated through cycling advocacy groups that have been working on expanding pilot bike lane projects for several years, which goes to show how quickly interventions can be implemented when there’s a policy window and a will to do so.
Bloor Street serving as one of the “arteries” of the city so how do we connect our city safely and in a way that promotes health equitably?
There is a lot of research out there on how safe active transportation options can promote physical and mental health.
But access to active transportation and opportunities for exercise or leisure through walking and biking also need to be considered through an equity-lens.
Many of the pre-existing issues for cyclists have continued with this expansion of the cycling network, including vehicles improperly crossing into bike lanes and at intersections resulting in serious injuries and deaths. One of the ongoing issues is the safety of cyclists when there is no physical separation between bicycles and vehicles. As we walk along Bloor Street East, you may notice bollards or planter pots separating the bike lanes from vehicular traffic or nothing at all.
Not all street infrastructure is conducive to safe walking and cycling, even more so outside the downtown core. It is important to consider mobility freedom including for those living with physical disabilities and to consider the inclusion of ramps and appropriate turning radii. This accessibility is crucial to consider even for temporary initiatives such as the reorganization of main streets as patios and outdoors cafes through the CafeTO initiative.
Without explicit equity and anti-racist lenses, these temporary provisions may worsen inequities between neighbourhoods.
During and beyond COVID-19, protected and expanded cycling infrastructure networks in under-resourced neighbourhoods serve as one tool in the built environment toolkit to promote health. Continue along the north side of Bloor Street East to our next stop.
Stop 6: Manulife Building on Bloor Street East
Look at the Manulife building to your left (North side of Bloor Street) and take a couple of moments to take it in and note what sticks out prominently to you.
Did you notice the big fence that surrounds the building and the grounds? The grass is often unnaturally green and meticulously maintained.
How does this compare with the other side of the street, on the south side of Bloor Street? Which feels more inviting and welcoming?
If you look closer, maybe you notice that the building across the street is a church.
Buildings and institutions interact with public space like streets. This brings up the question of how do we negotiate the boundaries of private versus public?
How is a space signaled as “closed off” versus “welcoming”? We might even think about this as how street design signals about who belongs where. Who has access and who does not? We can think about infrastructure like fences vs. ramps vs. public message boards.
Contrast these two buildings and their purpose. Who might feel welcome in each of these spaces? Who “belongs”? Think about who different institutions like churches and corporations serve and who have they historically included and excluded?
What are the invisible boundaries that exist that we take for granted (across space and time), and contribute to whether we feel welcome or not?
What does it mean to look the part? What social cues signal whether someone belongs in a certain space, like inside the grounds of the Manulife building? Would you feel comfortable entering?
When you’re ready, head to the next stop at the corner of Bloor and Sherbourne Street as indicated on the map.
Reflection questions to consider:
How would you compare the north side vs. the south side of Bloor Street? Which feels more inviting and welcoming?
How is a space signalled as “closed off” versus “welcoming”?
Contrast these two buildings and their purpose. Who might feel welcome in each of these spaces?
What are the invisible boundaries that exist that we take for granted, and contribute to whether we feel welcome or not?
What are the invisible boundaries that exist that we take for granted (across space and time), and contribute to whether we feel welcome or not?
PART 2
Stop 7: Rosedale Ravine
Stop and take a look around. We are now at the corner of the St. James Town neighbourhood which is where we will be heading along next.
This seems like a good time to pay closer attention to the lines and boundaries that we encounter in public space. For e.g. a neighbourhood is a boundary, an invisible line we draw based on some criteria. These boundaries may be historical remnants and legacies, but they could also be arbitrary. These neighbourhood boundaries are abstract concepts that often serve to delineate space, organize governance structures and manage how resources are allocated and distributed.
But people don’t remain in just one neighbourhood - people move across cities and neighbourhoods, using many of the same connection points both locally and globally. We’ve seen how that plays out during this pandemic.
Many times, we still try to draw hard lines around spaces, but this is complicated, especially when it comes to public space.
People move between spaces and across boundaries sometimes easily and sometimes with challenges. Who finds it easier to move between spaces? These access keys often come with different types of privilege.
If you look north along Sherbourne Street, you’ll see the bridge that goes over Rosedale Ravine Lands Park. Toronto is called “a City within a Park” and the ravine system is an incredible part of Toronto that cuts across many neighbourhoods and communities. It’s a natural resource that is important in terms of preserving biodiversity.
Biodiversity and how we think about and protect the natural environment impacts not just the health of humans, but all the different species that make up the ecosystem (including microorganisms, flora and fauna) and the planet itself. They are all interconnected and biodiversity loss is happening at a rapid pace globally.
Research tells us that the quality of spaces impacts whether spaces promote our mental health and well-being. For example, studies have shown that biodiversity predicts psychological restorative benefits from urban green space.
Access to and accessibility within the ravine system are an extension of the equity issues we’re talking about with respect to other public space features. The Toronto Ravine Strategy outlines some of the considerations, plans and hopes for this public space resource.
Like I mentioned, we’re on the corner of the neighbourhood of St. James Town – which is nicknamed “a world within a block”. St. James Town is the most densely populated neighbourhood in Canada with a large high-rise community. It has a high proportion of racialized people with multiple cultures and languages. The median total income for private households in St. James Town is about $41,016, compared to $106,740 in Rosedale-Moore Park, which was the first neighbourhood we explored.
As we head down Sherbourne Street, try to move mindfully. That is, paying attention to your surroundings without distractions like looking at your phone. Notice the environment and take in the storefronts, the roads, sidewalks and people. Finally, remember to notice how you feel.
Stop 8: St. James Town West Park on Sherbourne Street
The St. James Town neighbourhood has 19 high-rise buildings. Recent statistics tell us that the population density in Rosedale-Moore park is about 4500 ppl per km2 compared to over 44,000 ppl per km2 in St. James Town – almost 10 times denser. The high-density downtown core of Toronto makes it particularly challenging to physically distance while outdoors, but especially in neighbourhoods that are dense with less public space and resources, possibly contributing along with other factors to the number of cases of COVID-19.
In a recent analysis CBC identified that St. James Town has the lowest amount of public green space per person in Toronto. Which is significant during this pandemic when people want to be outside while safely physically distancing.
The rates of depression and anxiety have increased since the pandemic worldwide and in the City of Toronto. The ability to get outside and be outside in a safe way has an impact on mental health and well-being. In neighbourhoods like St. James Town, having less access to enough quality outdoor space means being less able to safely physically distance from others.
In addition to quantity of green space, we need to think about the quality of green space. You may want to move around this park and take it in. What amenities are available for e.g. drinking fountains, benches, shade, tree cover, playgrounds? Is the space well-maintained?
An often-overlooked component of public spaces such as parks is whether it is meeting the needs and serves the people and communities that surround and use it. This includes whether is has safe, quality amenities and infrastructure. This often requires meaningful engagement processes to interact with and learn from residents and users. One of the issues identified by community members in St. James Town has been food insecurity in the neighbourhood. Lack of access to affordable, quality food that is culturally appropriate. To learn more about this issue, read the Emergency Food Forum Open Letter (published in Sept 2020). This is also included in the resource list. At the next stop, we’ll learn more about the OASIS Food Hub which is a community initiative that has been in the works for a number of years to respond to this issue of food insecurity.
It is vital to focus on addressing the underlying structural issues that cause these inequities and health disparities across neighbourhoods. Throughout, we’ve been discussing how the impact of systemic racism and discrimination is evident through historical policies and practices in the United States such as ‘separate-but-equal’ and colourlines, or real estate manipulation, such as redlining or the denial of loans after World War II, which have kept Black people in the United States from owning property especially in certain sought-after areas. In Canada, we see similar demarcations that create racialized geographies, notably reserves for Indigenous peoples across Canada and in the case of Africville in Halifax, Nova Scotia, a primarily Black neighbourhood which was deemed an urban ‘slum’. Migration and settlement patterns have resulted in spatial distinctions between neighbourhoods in cities, where inner-city neighbourhoods tend to be racialized in contrast to more suburban and predominantly white neighbourhoods.
These spatial trends have resulted in neighbourhoods that are predominantly racialized that became referred to as ‘ethnic enclaves’ or “racially identified spaces”. In Toronto, this is demonstrated in neighborhoods like St. James Town, Thorncliffe Park and Regent Park. The differential access to public resources such as residences, schools, and recreation facilities between neighbourhoods is ongoing.
A key systemic issue around policies such as the need for “Canadian experience”. This shows up when highly educated professionals to immigrate to Canada under the points system but then getting caught in the vicious cycle of needing “Canadian experience”. The healthy immigrant effect outlines how the health of immigrants is initially higher than those in Canada and then deteriorates steadily within approximately 5 years after migrating to align with or become even worse than non-immigrants.
Another community-driven initiative is the podcast Stjamestownstoreys (storeys is spelled s-t-o-r-e-y-s) that highlights the nuances of this neighbourhood, the community resilience in responding to the pandemic via their “coping with COVID” series.
Our next stop is on the other side of the park, on Bleecker Street.
Stop 9: 325 Bleecker Street
Bleecker street is noted as a “Pedestrian street” in response to COVID-19, which means it is limited to pedestrians, cyclists, and authorized vehicles but be aware of vehicular traffic nonetheless.
St. James Town has a strong community presence with grassroots organizations like the St. James Town Community Coop and LIFT (Low Income Families Together). LIFT and the St James Town Co-op have been working together to identify community needs and take action. One of their initiatives has been to conduct a project feasibility study for a local food hub to address food insecurity in the neighbourhood. The goal is to bring healthy, affordable, and sustainable food into the neighbourhood.
On the north east side of the intersection is 325 Bleecker Street, a Toronto Community Housing Corporation Building, which was the proposed site for the new OASIS food hub, through retrofitting and repurposing the basement space.
In March of 2020, the city passed a motion to consider approval of the OASIS food hub pilot project in St. James Town which would allow for the creation of an underground aquaponics farm at 325 Bleecker Street, and allows for the OASIS Food Hub to produce, distribute and manage food and water in St. James Town. However, the pandemic put a stop to this process. The community has since faced challenges with getting through municipal processes and red tape. Community members have voiced how challenging and frustrating it is to push forward sustainable, long-terms solutions like this one that are community-generated and supported. In the meantime, the St. James Town Coop’s bulk food buying club is still active.
COVID-19 has also highlighted how socio-economic disparities contributes to the lack of access to healthy food for all.
Aside from housing, food is one of the biggest costs and from a human rights perspective is a necessity for all. Access to healthy, nutritious food has an impact on both physical and mental health that our public spaces can play a role in this. There are networks working on connecting communities to local food providers and workers to achieve food security and food sovereignty.
This is one example of retrofitting existing spaces to meet community needs. Both during and beyond the pandemic, it is worth considering how Toronto can actually implement creative design strategies and solutions that re-envision what public spaces (both outdoors and indoors) can look like so they can address and tackle some of the biggest inequities and challenges faced today.
Keep heading south on Bleecker Street to Wellesley Street which will be our final stop!
Stop 10: 200 Wellesley Street Mural
At the corner of Bleecker St. and Wellesley Street East, you will see the new community center to the west of Bleecker and 200 Wellesley Street on the east side. You should also be able to see the community organization St. James Town Community Corner or “The Corner” which provides programs and services to residents in the neighbourhood. It is governed by a diverse steering committee represented by tenants of Toronto Community Housing, residents and service providers who live and/or work in St. James Town.
If you look up at the side of 200 Wellesley- another Toronto Community Housing building, you will see one of the world’s tallest murals. The Corner in collaboration with (the Sustainable Thinking and Expression on Public Space) or the STEPS Initiative implemented this community initiative with youth in the neighbourhood. The mural represents a phoenix. On the St. James Town website, the mural is described as “A phoenix symbolizing fire and strength of people who live there.”
This mural highlights how art and activism can come together in public spaces, how they can be used to tackle stigma, spark conversation and engagement, and make visible what might not be.
As we wrap up in this neighbourhood, here are some reflection questions to consider:
How do you feel in this public space? List 3 words that describe how you feel in this space.
Why do you think this is how you feel in this space?
Do you feel like you “belong” in this space? Do you feel safe? Why or why not?
That’s the end of our urban exploration! We have navigated our way along and between just two neighbourhoods in Toronto. As we have discussed, these boundaries are created and upheld in many ways from a systemic perspective. When we think about health equity and mental health equity with respect to public space, we must consider who has access to what resources and why. Why do some people have access to mental health-promoting public spaces and others do not have the same access? What does that mean for health equity for different people across different neighbourhoods in Toronto? And most importantly, how can we work towards systemic change, towards policies and processes that promote public spaces that are safe for all?
Feel free to delve further into some of the resources and websites mentioned throughout this tour and available via the accompanying resource list.
We’d love to hear from you as well and feel free to share your thoughts, photos and responses to some of the reflection questions that were posed via the online form.
Thank you so much for joining us!
We’d love to hear from you. Feel free to share your thoughts, photos and responses to some of the reflection questions that were posed throughout these recordings.
